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PBA: Sta. Lucia one win away from first All-Filipino crown
The Sta. Lucia Realtors are now a game away from winning their first-ever All Filipino crown after an easy 88-76 win over a Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants without James Yap in Game 5 of their best-of-seven title series before a full-house crowd at the Araneta Coliseum Sunday night. Prolific second-year player Kelly Williams, the 2007-08 Smart-PBA Philippine Cup Player of the Conference awardee, proved why he deserved to win the award after he registered a double-double of 20 points and 16 rebounds for his team, which is now up 3-2 in the finals series. Williams made 20 points and 16 rebounds, the 21st double-double in the conference. No other player has more than 17 in the tournament. Dennis Espino contributed 15 points, with eight in the second period. Bitoy Omolon chipped in 14, also with eight in the third, while Marlou Aquino poured all of his 12 in the payoff quarter. Point guard Paolo Mendoza, playing on borrowed time, had timely hits and finished with nine, all in the final half. The former UP Fighting Maroon rattled in seven straight points early in the fourth, giving the Realtors the first of their two 18-point spreads at 71-53. The Giants, who are badly missing the services of Yap who was suspended due to unsportmanlike conduct in Game 3 of the finals, was led by big man Kerby Raymundo, who topscored for them with 20 points. Ironiclaly, Peter June Simon struggled when he was expected to step up minus Yap. Averaging 18.8 points per game in the series, Simon scored only three points in Game 5, his lowest output this conference. The Realtors recalled their old defensive form, holding the Giants to their lowest output in the series. Seventy-six was Purefoods’ second lowest output in the tourney. "We’re really a defensive team," Sta. Lucia head coach Boyet Fernandez said. "For as long as we’re able to play our defense, we’ll be doing good in this series. Purefoods is a strong team and we have to work hard again. We’ll make our preparations and we’ll see whether we get the crown on Wednesday." Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio described Yap as a wounded warrior, expecting him to give the team a tremendous boost in Game 6. "Playing without James Yap is like running the marathon with one leg. We did everything humanly possible tonight but we came up short," Gregorio said. "We’ve been in and survived a tighter situation before. We’ve survived from a 1-3 hole before and I believe we can still give effort and energy to rally in this series." Purefoods once again showed a different look to start the game, combining Raymundo, Jondan Salvador, Ardy Larong, Roger Yap, and Chico Lanete. Lanete put in four points, three rebounds, one assist, and one steal in the first half when the Giants led by as many as 11 before settling for a 39-37 edge at the turn. The two teams figured in a defensive battle, ending up with their lowest combined first-half output in the series. Raymundo poured in nine points in the opening quarter but went scoreless in seven minutes in the second period. Rey Evangelista, Romel Adducul, and Lanete took over from Raymundo in the second quarter. Williams and Espino came to the fore for the Realtors in the second period, firing eight apiece as the Realtors came within two at halftime. Purefoods led at the half with a score of 39-37. Game 6 of the finals will be held also at the Big Dome on Wednesday with the Realtors hoping to close out the series at 4-2. - GMANews.TV
